Katsa Grace
by butimaqueerleader
Summary: This is a chaptered fic that starts in The Clockwork Angel and will bleed through ALL of the following Shadowhunters Chronicles. I've worked hard on it and I don't really know how to summarize it. I guess it's about a girl running from a bad past who wants to change her life. Enter Jem, Will, Tessa, and the whole motley crew.
1. Chapter 1

The London Institute loomed before me. Everything I had worked towards for the past year was coming to a head. I wasn't going to bother hiding what, for this time period, would be a very odd way of speaking. However, I had decided it would be best to wear the fashions of the time. Showing up in clothes that had yet to be invented might have caused a mighty uproar. My trunk trailed behind me, everything inside magically shrunk to fit. The debt I owed to Callile was immense indeed. I pushed at the gate. Surprisingly enough, it gave way. I made my way carefully to the front door. If I had landed here at the right time, then Miss Tessa Gray would have arrived at the Institute the previous night, and everyone would currently be eating breakfast. I rang the bell. And I waited.

After a few minutes, the door swung wide, revealing a slender girl with pretty brown hair, a scar twisting her once beautiful features into an ugly mask. I had been expecting her to look like this, so I barely blinked, instead giving her a large grin.

"Hello, I was wondering if I may speak to Mrs. Branwell?" I asked her. She seemed to be genuinely surprised at my reaction, or lack thereof, towards her face. Honestly, I thought she would be pleased. She nodded quickly, ushering me into the entrance.

"One moment, if you please miss," Sophie said, disappearing up the stairs. I set my trunk down and tried to arrange myself into a somewhat dignified position. The dress I was wearing was heavy and unlike anything I had ever worn. Callile had almost fainted in embarrassment when I had run half-naked into his workshop, begging for his help with all the layers. I smiled at the memory. It had only been a day ago, but it felt like forever.

"Hello?" I heard a small voice call from the stairs. I turned to see who could only be Charlotte Branwell coming down the stairs. Everything I had heard still couldn't prepare me for just [i]how[i] small she was. She looked like a child. I knew she was described as such, but it was still shocking. And I was still getting used to the few inches that Callile had put on me, arguing that all warlocks were tall. Going from 5'3 to 5'7 was very disorienting, if one ever had the chance to experience it.

"Mrs. Branwell, how very nice it is to meet you," I said when she came before me, holding out a hand.

"Um, it is nice to meet you too, Miss...?" she trailed off, taking it.

"Grace, but please, call me Katsa," I requested. She nodded.

"May I ask what you need to speak to me about?" she asked. I smiled.

"Of course. I'm here to help Tessa," I answered matter of factly. Charlotte breathed in sharply, her eyes widening in shock.

"Are you a family member?" she inquired. I shook my head. Then I remembered something that I hadn't done yet.

"One moment," I said, turning around. I focused on my eyes, pretending that I was wearing a pair of contacts and was plucking them out. I turned back to Charlotte. She gasped. At least that meant it had worked.

"Sorry about that. I had to glamour my eyes on my way here. I must have forgotten to take it off," I explained. She nodded quickly, running up the stairs and calling for the other members of the Institute. In a few moments, everyone else appeared at the top of the stairs. Will was the first to appear, more handsome than I could have ever hoped to imagine. Tessa was close behind him, gray eyes wide and curious. Henry and Jessamine arrived at the same time, closely followed by Charlotte and Sophie. Then my eyes landed on Jem and my breath caught in my chest. He was beautiful. More beautiful than the deepest recesses of my mind could have ever dreamed up. His eyes and hair shone silver in the dim light. His skin stood out sharply against the dark of his shirt. Perfect. Then I remembered that I couldn't go near him, and my heart hurt.

"Everyone, this is Miss Katsa Grace. She says that she can help Tessa," Charlotte told them. Will leaned against the railing, a smirk on his face. That was the expression I had always pictured him with. His eyes alight with mirth, a cold smirk on his lips. The fact that I knew his secret only made me feel as if there was a supremely funny joke at hand, but I was the only one who understood the punch line. Tessa approached quickly, eyes shining with fierce hope. Again, my heart hurt for the girl. Her whole world was about to come tumbling down. I would have to start slowly.

"You can help me find Nate?" she inquired, grabbing me by my shoulders tightly. The look on her face made it hard, knowing what I knew.

"I can. But when I am done explaining everything, there will be the question as to whether or not you'll want to," I told her sadly. Only then did she seem to notice my eyes. She let go of me and stumbled backwards, directly into Jem, who caught her with a look of amusement.

"Miss Grace-" Jem said.

"Please, call me Katsa," I implored.

"Katsa," he corrected, "might I ask if you are a warlock?"

"I would think it was obvious," Will answered for her, sounding very high and mighty. I gave him a smirk, biting back laughter upon registering the shock in his eyes. He will have found his match in me.

"Yes, I am a warlock. Only I am very young and inexperienced. I came to London looking for someone to train me. But then I heard about young Miss Gray and realized I could help," I said plainly.

"Help with what?" Jessamine asked accusingly.

"Ask me any question, and I'm sure I'll have an answer," I told her, not at all fazed by her icy gaze.

"Where is Nathaniel Gray?" Will asked, all humor replaced by a very serious expression.

"As of right now? He is a prisoner of Alexei de Quincey," I answered. The effect was instantaneous. Henry dropped the piece of toast he had been carrying, Will stood straight so quickly he hit his head against the shelf holding some decorations. I stifled a giggle, though I doubt anyone would have heard me over the shouting. Charlotte appeared before me and everything went silent.

"Are you saying that de Quincey kidnapped Tessa's brother?" she asked, eyes wide in shock.

"I never said that," I replied. Everyone looked at me with confusion.

"Besides, he wasn't kidnapped. He was given to de Quincey when he didn't do what he was supposed to," I finished.

"By who?" Tessa asked desperately.

"Axel Mortmain." This had the opposite effect. Everything got eerily quiet. I waited for someone to say that it wasn't possible. That Mortmain was a mortal and couldn't have dealings with the head of the London vampire clan. But they just stared at me in shock.

"Why don't you come with me to the drawing room. You can tell me everything you know about the matter," Charlotte said quietly. I nodded and turned to grab my trunk, only to find Henry already there. My heart began to thud against my chest. He couldn't go near that trunk. One accidental brush of the hidden mechanisms and he will have thought Christmas had come early.

"Please, let me," I murmured, easily taking the heavy thing from him. He looked momentarily confused, but then his eyes unfocused and he smiled pleasantly. Thank God for thoughtlessness.

"Alright," he agreed. "Charlotte, I'll be down in my workshop." Charlotte nodded distractedly, telling the rest of the Institute's inhabitants their assignments for the day. Then she turned to me and beckoned that I follow her. I did dutifully.

"Explain," she ordered when we got to the drawing room. I sat down in one of the arm chairs and began the story.

I told her everything that I knew wouldn't cause horrible time locks. I started with Mortmain's backstory: his hatred for Shadowhunter's and plan for their destruction. I didn't explain what Tessa was. That would have to wait. I did explain about the automatons and how he planned to get the Pyxis. Charlotte's eyes went from wide to buggy as I talked. She sat down when I finished.

"How do you know all of this?" she whispered. I feared I may have shocked the poor woman almost comatose.

"I've been gathering information since I came to London. I was lucky enough to get all the facts in the past months," I answered smoothly. I'd been rehearsing that for weeks.

"You said that you came to London looking for an older warlock to help you with your magic. Have you found one?" Charlotte asked. I blinked in small surprise. I'd half expected her to ask more questions about Mortmain.

"I found who I want to help me. Getting an audience with him, however, is much more difficult than I would have expected," I answered readily.

"We are going to investigate your claims. If they are true, than we will get you whoever you want to help you learn your magic," she told me. Now I was genuinely surprised.

"Until then, you may stay in one of our rooms," she added. I stood straight up.

"But I thought the Institute was for Shadowhunter's only. I am a warlock. I don't belong here," I argued. Her eyebrows flew up, her expression weary.

"Do you have any other place to say?" she asked. I bit my lip. Technically, no. I hadn't really been here the past couple of months. Just the past couple of hours. I saw her eyes stray to the trunk I'd set down by the door.

"Alright, no," I caved. She gave me a small smile and stood up.

"I'll have Sophie take you to one of the rooms," she said, poking her head out of the door. Sophie seemed to appear out of thin air. She reached for my trunk, but I leapt for it, grabbing the handle before she even had a chance to bend over.

"Sorry. All of my possessions are in here. I'm a little touchy about who... touches them," I told her affronted face.

"Excuse me?" she asked. I mentally kicked myself.

"I'm protective of my things," I adjusted. She seemed to understand. I followed her out of the drawing room and through the maze-like hallways. She stopped at what seemed like a random room, but when the door to the next bedroom opened to let Tessa out I realized she had probably decided to put me where a majority of the occupants were. Tessa gave me a startled look, but I just smiled before going into my own room. It was just as I had expected. I turned to Sophie.

"Thank you," I said, and she bowed her head in response.

"Ummm, I may need your help from time to time, getting dressed," I told her before she left, feeling my face flush bright red. She smiled in understanding.

"That's perfectly all right, miss," she assured me. I gave her a relieved smile. She turned again to leave, and again I stopped her.

"And could you help me out of this dress?" I asked sheepishly. She actually giggled at this. She helped me out of the gigantic thing and hung it up. She looked at my bra and underwear and I blushed again. I had blatantly refused to put on a petticoat.

"Are those American undergarments?" she asked, looking thoroughly mystified.

"In a sense," I answered. It was true. Sort of. She gave me a confused look, before bowing her head.

"If that's all, miss," she said to her feet.

"Yes, thank you, Sophie," I said, allowing her to leave. When she did I collapsed onto the bed, gasping at how amazingly comfortable it was. I had never slept on a bed like this back home. I decided against putting on any nightclothes, my energy suddenly gone. I had spent the entire night with Callile preparing for today and drilling my story into my head. I was exhausted. I slipped under the warm covers, snuggling up. My eyes felt heavy, and I let them slip shut.

"Miss Grace!" I heard someone saying loudly. There were hands on my shoulders, shaking me softly. My eyes fluttered open, and all I saw was silver. It took me minute to realize where I was, and what exactly would be making me see silver. Then everything came flying back.

"Jem!" I cried, pulling the sheets up to my chin and sitting up. He grinned sheepishly.

"My apologies. Charlotte asked me to wake you because Sophie was busy," he explained. "Dinner's ready." I nodded and asked him to to tell them I would be down in a few minutes. When he left, I leapt from the bed and went to my trunk. I rifled through all the shrunken items, telling myself I would enlarge them and put them away later. I finally found the least complicated dress to put on. It was royal blue, with fitted long sleeves worn off the shoulder and the corset worn on the outside, laced up the front. It flared out at the hips, the epitome of a princess gown. I had made Callile assure me six times that it wouldn't be too risqué for the times. I slipped into the soft material, sighing at the way it felt against my skin. I donned the corset, lacing it as tight as I could. Tessa would be scandalized, but Jessamine would approve. I found a pair of silver shoes that I could tell were going to pinch my feet and slipped them on, praying to God that my feet would survive the night. Last but not least, I slipped on my lucky handcuff necklace. It used to be gold, but I had worn it so much that the gold had rubbed away to reveal a tarnished silver. It didn't exactly match, but I felt comforted with it around my neck.

I slipped from my room just as Jessamine did. She looked me up and down and gave me an approving smile. I just smirked in response. It didn't seem to faze her, as she then asked if we could walk together. I offered my elbow, which seemed to confuse her. I realized women in this century probably didn't offer their elbows to other women very often. It was habit, so I just kept it there. She took it with a little hesitation.

"You are strange," she said blatantly. I laughed.

"I get that a lot," I replied, leading her down a set of stairs.

"I'm sure it comes with being what you are. Have you always been different from everyone else?" she asked. I nodded.

"Never in my life have I fit in with the regular crowd," I answered. She looked to me again with confusion.

"I was never like everybody else," I corrected. She nodded her understanding. We came upon the dining room and her arm left mine as we beheld Will standing atop one of the sideboards, tinkering with something on the ceiling.

"Good God, Will! What on earth are you doing?" I cried, fighting a smile, because I knew exactly what he was doing. Jem turned to us with a smile.

"He's fixing the gasolier," Jem answered at the same time Jessamine exclaimed: "Will, couldn't you get Thomas to do that?" Will looked down at us.

"Is that blood on your sleeve, Jessie?" he asked her. She huffed and stomped over to seat herself at the far edge of the table. I rolled my eyes, waiting for-

"I've done it!" Henry exclaimed, bursting into the dining room, wielding a large copper tube about. "I'll wager you didn't think I could, did you?"

"No one has the faintest idea what you're talking about, Henry," I answered, earning a glare from Will.

"I've gotten my Phosphor to work at last." Henry proudly brandished the object. "It functions on the principle of witchlight but is five times more powerful. Merely press a button, and you will see a blaze of light the likes of which you have never imagined."

"So it's just a very, very bright witch light then?" I asked, receiving another glare from Will.

"Exactly!" Henry exclaimed proudly.

"Is that useful, precisely?" Jem inquired. "After all, witchlight is just for illumination. It's not as if it's dangerous…"

"Wait till you see it!" Henry replied. He held up the object. "Watch."

Will moved to object, but it was too late; Henry had already pressed the button. There was a blinding flare of light and a whooshing sound, and the room was plunged into blackness. Tessa gave a yelp of surprise, and Jem laughed softly.

"Am I blind?" Will's voice floated out of the darkness, tinged with annoyance. "I'm not going to be at all pleased if you've blinded me, Henry."  
>"No." Henry sounded worried. "No, the Phosphor seems to— Well, it seems to have turned all the lights in the room off ."<br>"It's not supposed to do that?" Jem sounded mild, as always.

"Er, no." I laughed as Will began muttering under his breath. Then there was a great crash, and I felt someone at my feet.

"Will!" someone cried from behind me, and suddenly a blinding light flared from the same spot. I flinched from it, shielding my eyes instinctively. I looked down and saw that Will had fallen from the sideboard in a heap of broken crockery.

"What on earth...?" Charlotte trailed off, looking about with amazement.

"I was trying to straighten the gasolier," Will explained, leaping to his feet and brushing the broken dishes off himself.

"Thomas could have done that! And now you've broken half the plates."

"You can thank your idiot husband for that." He looked down at himself. "I think I may have broken something. The pain is quite agonizing."

"You look fine to me," I said at the same time Charlotte responded with "You seem quite intact to me." She gave me a surprised glance before turning to the rest of the room. "I suppose we'll be eating by witchlight tonight." Jessamine sniffed and again, I rolled my eyes.

"I hate witchlight," the girl whined. "It makes my complexion look absolutely green."

"Ungrateful child," I muttered, receiving a bemused expression from Will. As the witchlight tapers were brought about to light the room, I took a seat beside Will. Surprise flashed in his eyes, but he turned to his food without saying a word.

"How did your investigation go?" I asked. Again, a flicker of surprise passed his blue eyes.

"How did you know about that?" he asked in response.

"It seemed a likely job for two underage Shadowhunter's to undertake," I answered confidently. This was easy. He took a bite of his food, chewed slowly, swallowed, and turned back to me.

"We found an automaton. Henry opened it up and found de Quincey's seal carved into it. Do you still think that Mortmain kidnapped Tessa's brother?" he asked, his voice proud.

"Yes I do," I replied without inflection, "Mortmain put the seal there to lead you down de Quincey's trail."

"How do we know that you aren't an agent of de Quincey's, sent to blow us off his scent?" he accused quietly. I glanced around to make sure no one was listening.

"Because I know things about everyone in this room that de Quincey could never hope to guess," I answered cryptically. His eyebrows shot up in an amused expression.

"Oh, like what?" he challenged. I leaned closer, till my lips were almost against his ear.

"I know who Cecily is," I whispered. He froze, panic rising in his eyes. Jem noticed.

"Will, are you alright?" he asked with worry. Will immediately composed himself.

"Fine," he answered confidently, but his hands were clenched underneath the table, his back stiff as a board. Tessa took the oppurtunity to engage me in a conversation.

"Jem tells me that your eyes are your warlock's mark. They frightened me at first, but now I find them very beautiful," she told me. I smiled a gratified smile. It had taken a month and a half to choose what exactly I wanted them to look like. Eventually I'd ended up with the black to green to blue that I'd once given a character of my own, with a bronze pupil. They were strange, even among warlocks, according to Callile.

"Thank you," I replied.

"And that is a rather charming necklace. I don't believe I have ever seen anything like it," she added.

"Well, I don't think there are many like it anymore," I responded coolly. After all, it was technically true. Jessamine perked up.

"Is it a family heirloom?" she asked. I chuckled.

"No, I bought it myself a couple of years ago," I told her. Her eyes widened.

"Do you come from a rich family?" she asked.

"Jessie!" Charlotte cried, giving me an apologetic look.

"It's quite alright," I assured her, then turned back to Jessamine. "This is not an expensive necklace. The stones are paste diamonds and the metal is rather cheap. But I loved it the moment I layed eyes on it and decided I didn't care if it turned my skin green, I had to have it," I explained. Then I left her to figure that out and turned back to Tessa. She gave me a small smile.

"That was magnificent," I heard Will whisper into my ear. I gave him a quizzical look.

"I've never seen anyone shut her up so quickly," he clarified. I laughed. Loud, pealing laughter that had me clutching my stomach, and had him laughing along with me. I saw Tessa chuckling and Jem grinning. Jessamine looked venomous. Of course, that only made me laugh harder. It was wonderful. The last time I had laughed this hard was... I stopped laughing suddenly. The last time I had laughed this hard had been with another boy named Wes. The lightness in my chest that had come with the humor of the situation was replaced by a pain so real and jarring that I clutched at my heart, a gasp flying past my lips before I could stop it. Everyone looked at me with worry. There was pinching in my heart, and I doubled over in my chair, sucking in a deep breath that made the pinching worse. I hadn't experienced the pinching since my mother's death. This wasn't a good sign.

The pain receded slowly, and I righted myself. Charlotte was standing up, her eyes alight with concern. Concern that was mirrored in everyone else's eyes. Everyone except Henry, who was completely unaware of what had just occured. I felt a blush creeping onto my cheeks.

"I must apologize. Occasionally, I have small flares of pain in my chest. They happen suddenly and go away quickly. They're nothing to worry about," I explained. No one looked appeased. But the tension was relieved by Agatha and Sophie coming and taking our dinner. I heaved a sigh of anxiety, and Will gave me a sideways glance. I excused myself and left for my room. I should have known better. I should have known that leaving him would have be harder than anything I had ever had to do in my life. I remembered the shock in his face when I'd shown him Callile's workshop. The panic when I'd told him what I was doing.

Then I remembered the more recent pains. The tears in his eyes when I'd told him I was leaving. For good. How hard his grip on my arm was when I'd tried to leave. How we had done everything but sleep that night.

I leaned against the wall for support, my legs suddenly struggling to hold my weight. The pain was back. Not the pinching that made me want to carve my heart from my ribs. The gaping, black hole in my chest that made it hard to breath and had tears crawling up my throat.

"Katsa," I heard behind me. I righted myself quickly. I caught a glimpse of Jem, staring at me with concern, before my vision started swimming. I felt myself stumble, and then his arms around me. The scent of sweat and burned sugar found its way into my nose, and it seemed to clear my head. I gasped, finding the black hole had diminished upon Jem discovering me.

"I'm sorry," I apologized.

"You don't need to apologize. I'm guessing you left something behind," he said. I looked at him with confusion.

"Did you leave someone you loved in America?" he asked. My breath caught. Was it that obvious?

"Yes," I breathed. Tears pricked the back of my eyes, and I focused on the collar of his shirt, not wanting him to see.

"Perhaps you should write them a letter," Jem suggested. It made me remember another time someone had made the same suggestion. It seemed like forever ago. But back then I could actually follow through with the suggestion.

"I can't," I told him, detaching myself.

"Why?" he asked, tilting his head to look into my eyes.

"It's complicated," I answered truthfully, tucking a stray piece of hair behind my ear. He nodded in understanding.

"I see," he said quietly, looking to his feet.

"I know you didn't hear much of my conversation with Will, but I should tell you that I know about your illness," I told him. I hadn't been intending on it. It wasn't part of the plan. But I had underestimated how much just being near him seemed to move me. I had always thought that if he was real, I would fall in love with him without trying. And now that I was, it knew that that was a very real possibility.

"Is that what you told him? That made him look so scared?" he asked. I shook my head.

"I told him that I know everyone's secrets," I replied. His eyes widened.

"You know Will's secrets?" he questioned. I bit my lip and looked to the ground, nodding.

"How?"

"Again, it's complicated. But I would never use his secrets against him. I'm not a monster," I assured him. The fear in his eyes lessened slightly.

"So you know all of my secrets?" he asked.

"All of the current ones," I answered. Confusion flashed in his silver eyes. They were so much more beautiful this close up.

"You will have more secrets as time goes on. Isn't that how life works?" I clarified, and he grinned.

"I guess you're right," he agreed. "Why don't I walk you to your room?" I smiled.

"I see no reason against it," I replied. He offered his elbow, and I took it without a thought.

"It amazes me how readily you settled here," he told me after a few minutes of silence.

"I've always been an extremely adaptable person," I responded.

"Do you miss your home?"

"Sometimes. But mostly I miss the people I left behind."

"What made you leave them behind?"

"Well, my mother passed away, and it took its toll on me. I knew that if I didn't get away, I would do something stupid. It may sound selfish, but I left to keep myself from going insane." He seemed to think this over.

"That's not selfish. It would have been selfish for anyone to be angry with you for wanting to leave all that pain behind. You left in order to save yourself from misery. Anyone who thinks that's selfish doesn't deserve the pleasure of your company," he said. I felt my breath catch.

"You talk as if you already know me," I said quietly.

"I feel as if I do," he replied. I felt my cheeks flush.

"I guess that doesn't make sense. But from the little interaction we've had, I feel that I've learned everything I need to about you," he said.

"Like what?"

"You're funny, and sweet, and caring. You're willing to put others needs before you, and you feel everything more than the average person might. You can keep up with Will, which is a very hard thing to do, and you don't care what people think of you," he said. I was shocked, because he'd hit the mark spot on. Well, maybe he was pushing it when he said I was sweet, but most people thought that when they first met me.

"How very observant of you," I replied. He chuckled.

"This person you left behind? You loved them very much, didn't you?" he asked. I fought back the wave of emotion that the question brought on, and nodded.

"What was his name?" he asked. I gave him a confused look.

"Humor me?" he offered with a shrug. I looked ahead.

"His name is Wesley," I whispered.

"Isn't that an odd name?" he asked with a smile.

"I guess." We were at our rooms.

"Well, Miss Katsa, I must bid you goodnight," he said quietly. He took my hand and pressed his lips to my skin. Then he stood and disappeared into his room.

"Goodnight, James," I whispered to the door. Then I turned into my own room.

Because I had slept for so long that day, I knew that sleep would be hard to achieve. So I decided to begin unpacking. It was a long and tedious process, involving several enlargement spells and all of my magical energy. By the time I was done getting everything out of the trunk three hours later, it was all I could do not to fall asleep right there on the ground. But I got undressed and slipped under the covers.

I hadn't been asleep for very long when I was woken by someone yelling my name. I jerked up to see Will hovering above me, worry gnawing at his blue eyes.

"Will!" I hissed, yanking the covers up to my chin. I fought back bitter laughter at remembering being in this exact situation a few hours earlier, only with Jem.

"Listen, I need you to tell me everything you can about my family," he said in response, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"William Herondale, on what planet is it okay to wake a woman at this ungodly hour to talk about the family you left behind?" I snapped. He leapt off the bed. He probably wasn't used to anyone other than Jem using his full name.

"If you know that, then you can tell me if they're okay," he said after a few moments of silence. I rolled my eyes, then rearranged myself into a more comfortable position.

"They're fine. They're living well, and they miss you. That's honestly all I can tell you," I replied. His eyes bore into mine, searching for more. Which there was, but I couldn't tell him that without him going crazy and trying to ride out to Wales. His eyes stopped searching mine.

"I guess that's all there is to know," he muttered, plopping onto the floor. Forgetting how little I was wearing, I slid from the bed. It wasn't anything he hadn't seen before. I kneeled beside him.

"Will, you were supposed to move on from your family," I said. He tried to interupt, but I cut him off. "I know that's easier said then done. Trust me. But you can't keep pushing the family you have now away from you." He chuckled darkly and held his head in his hands.

"Yes I do. You have no idea what I've been through," he replied, his voice muffled by his hands. I rolled my eyes.

"Like I said at dinner, I know everybody's secrets," I told him. His head snapped up, sheer terror written across his features.

"You couldn't possibly-"

"I do." And he believed me. I could see it in his eyes. And then it was like a door opened, and I was seeing into his soul. I gasped, seeing such raw agony contained in just one person.

"Oh, Will," I choked, grabbing him and pulling him close. I felt him shudder violently, and I thought he was trying to get away from me. But then I felt moisture on my chest, and I realized he was crying. Huge, choking sobs racked his body, and I understood that he felt utterly hopeless; completely alone. I felt tears burning at the back of my eyes as he reached around and clutched me harder. Gently taking his face in both of my hands, I made him look at me. It broke my heart, seeing the suffering this beautiful boy had to go through.

"You can open up to me," I told him. I wouldn't tell him the truth. Not yet.

"I can't," he choked.

"I'm willing to risk this, Will. I know that you have Jem, but I also know that Jem isn't enough," I said.

"I can't allow myself to do that," he said, the tears slowing.

"You won't be able to push me away. I won't let that happen. But you could make it a bit easier for me," I replied.

"And how would you suggest I do that?"

"Let me in."

Author's Note: He he, so yeah. I hope you like it! Tell me what you think and if I should bother continuing the story. Constructive criticism please!


	2. Chapter 2

He fell asleep against me, after crying for what seemed like hours. I had retrieved some pillows and the blanket from the bed and arranged them on the floor, not really minding how cold it was because he was very warm. I had fallen asleep watching his pale face, which looked so young and relaxed in his sleep.

We were woken by Sophie's shriek of astonishment the next morning. I glanced over at a groggy Will, who was blinking stupidly and clutching me. He must have grabbed me while we were sleeping, but his hold was not romantic in any way. It was more like a child would grasp their mother after having a nightmare. I looked back to Sophie, who was staring in horror.

"Sophie, this isn't what it looks like," I started, then I folded the blanket off of Will to reveal him to be fully dressed. Her eyes narrowed, and then Will turned to look at her. His eyes were still red and puffy from crying, and Sophie saw that. She gasped, and Will leapt up.

"You can't tell anyone," he implored, grabbing her shoulders forcefully, eyes blazing. She pushed him away with anger.

"You cannot order me to do such a thing," she snapped back. I stood up, forgetting I was still only clad in a bra and underwear.

"Sophie, please?" I asked softly, trying to communicate all that I could with my eyes. Her anger softened and her expression turned compassionate. She nodded.

"Thank you," I said. She rolled her eyes.

"But Master Will should hurry to his room, without drawing attention to himself," she replied, opening the door and peeking out. She gestured for Will to leave.

After he was gone, she turned back to me, eyes bright with exasperation.

"Aren't you just the example of impropriety!" she exclaimed. I felt myself blush profusely as she began to giggle. Which naturally drew a smile to my face. I looked to my bare feet.

"Well, Miss Katsa, we best be getting you dressed. We wouldn't want anyone wondering what could be keeping us," the girl said, a smile in her tone. I looked up and gave her a grin. Here one day and already making friends.

"Oh, Charlotte, I meant to ask, how did the meeting with Lady Belcourt go last night?" I asked later that day in the drawing room. She glanced up in surprise, but with a shrug she dismissed it.

"It went quite well. We already knew much of what she had to tell us, due to your information. But we didn't know that there would be a party so soon. And we had never thought of disguising Tessa as Camille in order to get inside," she told me. I nodded, smirking inwardly. I couldn't give away everything up front.

"Perhaps I could be of some assistance. For example, I could intercept de Quincey should he try to escape," I offered. I didn't trust my own eyes, so I reached for a piece of paper that had obviously fallen prey to Henry's scribbles. I smiled at it. I didn't understand a single thing, but I knew I was looking at genius.

"Do you really think he would have time?" she asked. I shrugged.

"Better safe then sorry," I muttered, focusing in on an equation that looked a bit like geometry. But I'd always hated that class, so it still made no sense.

"I'm sorry?" Charlotte implored. I shook myself.

"There's always a chance. Vampires are clever," I restated. She pondered this for a moment before nodding in agreement. There was a knock at the door and then Will peeked his head in.

"Oh, there you are, Katsa. We're going to start helping Tessa become a believable Camille. Would you like to help?" he asked. I nodded and stood. I was heading for the door when Charlotte stopped me.

"Katsa, I'm not sure who you had in mind, but Magnus Bane will be helping us on Saturday, and he's also agreed to help train you if that's alright with you," she said. I felt my face light up.

"No, that's exactly who I wanted!" I exclaimed. Again, she looked surprised.

"Oh! Well, in that case, I will send a letter to him now informing him that you are more than happy to learn from him," she said. I smiled and followed Will out the door.

"Magnus? That's who you had in mind?" Will asked with a grin.

"What? The man's fabulous!" I replied, smiling just as big.

But when we got to the library, the smile fell from his face, replaced by a carefree, yet cold, smirk. I sighed and entered the library, where Jem and Tessa were waiting. I clapped my hands excitedly.

"Let's get started, shall we?"

But turning Tessa into a credible Camille proved to be more difficult than we had predicted. It was two days later, and she was still so awkward and uncomfortable as the vampire woman that it was almost painful to watch. I groaned from the armchair I was lounging in, near the desk where Jem and Will presided, and fixed Tessa with an irritated look.

"Just stop. You're walking like a duck," I snapped, pinching the bridge of my nose. I knew this was going to happen, and yet it still made my head ache. I missed Will's look of disbelief, probably due to the fact that I had used the exact reference he had been planning on using, but could picture it nonetheless.

"I am not!" Tessa exclaimed in response. I huffed and stood up, walking closer to her. Without asking for permission, I knelt and positioned her feet and legs into a conceivable position, proceeding to repeat the action with her arms, shoulders, and neck, attempting to reconstruct her into an attainable version of Lady Belcourt.

"Your steps are too heavy, and your feet point out too much. You need to step lightly, like a faun taking its first steps. Camille is delicate, so you need to be," I instructed, trying not to sound too irritated. She sighed heavily and moved to take a step. Already, she made a mistake.

"Stop," I ordered, holding a hand up.

"You cannot be serious!" Tessa snapped, looking furious. Behind me, Will chuckled, taking a bite of the apple he had brought to the library with him. I turned my head to look at him, seeing his face alight playfulness. It was one of those rare moments he didn't look ready for a challenge.

"Perhaps her impatience is proof that Camille's vampire nature is finally revealing itself," he offered, his mouth full of the fruit. Jem gave him a look of distaste, which the blue eyed boy promptly ignored. I heard a noise of surprised pain from Tessa, whirling back around to see that she had accidentally bitten herself with Camille's vampire teeth. She touched the broken skin, seemingly surprised when her fingers came back red.

"Just leave it," I sighed. I watched her trace her tongue along the now back to normal incisor, looking confused.

"I don't understand what makes them come out like that!" she exclaimed.

"Hunger," Jem said plainly. "We're you thinking about blood?"

"No." Will perked up.

"Were you thinking about eating me?" he asked brightly, making me roll my eyes.

"Of course not!"

"Not that anyone would blame you," I muttered darkly, receiving a bemused expression from Jem. I tuned out of the conversation, just counting down the seconds until the library doors swung open.

"The Enclave," I heard Will whisper, and I moved as he gestured for us to hide behind a bookcase. From the hiding spot we could easily watch the room fill with Shadowhunters, among them a younger boy with light brown hair and brilliant green eyes. I grinned despite myself. Here was someone I could really have fun with. Beside me, Will hissed.

"Gabriel Lightwood," Jem said quietly to Will. "What's he doing here? I thought he was at school in Idris." I glanced at Will to gauge his reaction, only to see he looked as excited as I felt about confronting the boy.

"Just don't get into a fight with him, Will," Jem urged, seeming to forget about me and Tessa. "Not here. That's all I ask."

"Rather a lot to ask, don't you think?" Will replied, leaning farther around the bookcase to get a better look. I tried to pull him back, but he simply bat me away like an irritating fly. Well, I tried. We watched and listened as Charlotte tried to begin.

"And where is Henry?" an older man asked, interrupting her. "Your husband? As one of the heads of the Institute, he really ought to be here" I could only imagine Charlotte's blush of embarrassment.

"He's on his way, Mr. Lightwood," she replied hastily, and I knew she was lying through her teeth. I fought back a snarl of disgust, realizing that's who the man was. Jem gave me a confused look, which I disregarded. That man was a disgrace to the name of Shadowhunter, whether or not everyone else knew it yet.

"He'd better be," said man murmured, glancing about the library. In vain I tried to pull Will back behind the case. "An Enclave meeting without the head of the Institute present - most irregular." His eyes landed on Will, who hastily tried slip out of sight, but it was too late. "And who's back there, then? Come out and show yourself!" I shoved Will forward with a growl, and he gave me a sheepish grin.

"Oops?" he offered. I shook my head and stalked after him, followed by Jem and Tessa, who had promptly stripped herself of Camille's likeness and now looked exactly herself. Charlotte looked livid.

"Will, I told you there was going to be an Enclave meeting at four," she hissed. He raised his eyebrows curiously.

"Did you?" he asked in a bored voice. I rolled my eyes and kicked the back of his leg, making sure no one else saw. Then I stepped forward.

"My apologies, Charlotte. I completely forgot you mentioning that to me after breakfast when I had suggested we use the library for, er, our specific purposes today," I said quickly, ignoring the looks of surprise from the members of the Enclave. Charlotte blinked at me with shock before nodding. I threw a glance over my shoulder to find Will grinning at Gabriel.

"Hello there, Gabriel," he said. The boy responded with a glare of thinly veiled disgust.

"William," he said curtly, his eyes landing on Jem. "And James. Aren't you a little young to be lurking around Enclave meetings?" Before Will could reply, I stepped forward cooly.

"And aren't you a little arrogant to be able to string two words together?" I snapped. He looked at me, furious. Behind me I heard Will laugh outrightly, and I noted how even Jem chuckled, though he was polite enough to disguise it as a cough. Mr. Lightwood cleared his throat loudly.

"So you must be one of the warlock girl Charlotte told us about," he said, bringing the attention of off his insulted son. His eyes slid to Tessa. "And you the other one." I saw Tessa straighten automatically, and I fought back a snort. The white haired woman-Lilian-stepped closer.

"They don't look like much," she noted in a neutral tone. Benedict snorted behind her.

"Neither did Magnus Bane the first time I saw him," he said, his gaze shifting to me. "Well go on, show us what you can do." I wrinkled my nose in disgust.

"I am not a show pony, who will simply jump through hoops at your request. And I would kindly thank you to remember that, Mr. Lightwood," I snarled, feeling a sick sort of pleasure seeing the shock and fear flash in his eyes as I said his name. If he was reading my expression correctly, than he had every reason to be afraid.

"Enough," Charlotte interrupted loudly. "Both of these girls have shown me their... abilities, and for now that will have to do. At least, until the Enclave decides to utilize their talents for the investigation-"

"Of course they will," Will said, this time interrupting her. "The plan most certainly won't work without Tessa's-" The sound of a chair being slammed against the stone floor resounded through the library.

"Mrs. Branwell," Gabriel growled furiously, "I do believe that Will is a bit too young to participate in an Enclave meeting." Charlotte took a deep breath.

"Yes, he is. If you would all please wait outside in the corridor," she sighed, looking beaten down. Will looked about to argue, but one look from both me and Jem kept his mouth firmly shut. Gabriel grinned with triumph.

"I will show you out," he said as he leapt to his feet. As he swung into the corridor behind us, his grin turned into a sneer.

"You," he snarled, looking to Will. "You disgrace the name of Shadowhunters everywhere." Again, I stepped in front of Will.

"You have room to speak of disgrace," I spat, shocking the haughty expression from his bright green eyes. "When you're father is one of the filthiest, most vile-" a hand closed around my arm, pulling me back gently. Gabriel looked outraged.

"How dare you speak of my family, you disgusting half-breed," he snapped back, taking a threatening step towards me. Jem stepped calmly in front of him, halting his progress. I fought against Will, who had wrapped his arms around me to keep me from charging the boy.

"Go back to the meeting, Gabriel," Jem said, his voice dangerously quiet. His glare turned into a nasty grin.

"Well, well, look it here. She must be something special, if James Cartsairs is willing to protect her," he jeered. "Why not let her at me James? Why gaurd the abomination?" My vision went red. Not because of what he was calling me-I had called myself mush worse-but because of the effect his words could be having on Tessa. Before I knew what had happened, Gabriel was thrown against the wall of the corridor, looking dazed.

"Katsa!" Tessa cried. I looked at her, confused. Gabriel seemed to recover, and fixed me with a death glare. He stalked towards me.

"What did you do?" he growled, reaching for the collar of my dress. Jem stepped in front of him, keeping him away from me. I looked over Jem's shoulder, utterly bewildered.

"What do you mean? I didn't do anything!" I replied. Will pulled me a few steps back, leaning down to whisper in my ear.

"Katsa, don't play like that. You performed some form of magic that knocked Gabriel against the wall," he said. I looked over my shoulder at him, still confused.

"But- you were restraining me. My hands weren't free... Are you sure?" I whispered back. He nodded.

"It sure looked funny, if that's any consolation," he told me, smiling a little. But I couldn't smile back. Had I really performed such magic without even thinking? All I could remember was white hot anger. And the next thing I knew, Gabriel Lightwood was accusing me of attacking him.

And while I considered this, I didn't even notice how Will's arms stayed locked around my waist.

Authors Note: Sorry it's so short! The next chapter will be much longer, I swear. Tell me what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

The day was upon us. And here I was trying to convince Jessamine to get into the coach.

"For Christ's sake woman, we're not expecting you to fight! If it comes to anything, I'll just use my magic. I just can't be loitering around outside by myself," I tried to reason with her. She didn't seem appeased.

"There's going to be fighting and bloodshed and I refuse to ruin my dress," she snapped, taking a step back from the carriage. With a growl I created an invisible force field that shoved her back towards the coach. She fell head first into it with a squeal. Using all my strength, I pushed the rest of her in and slammed the door, tapping the wall to tell the driver we were ready. Jessamine was in a pile of brightly colored satin on the floor, calling me every name under the sun.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you're acting like a Shadowhunter," I said. That shut her up quick. I sighed as she hoisted herself into the seat opposite me, trying to fix herself into what she thought was a dignified young lady.

"How dare you use your magic on me," she muttered, looking out the window. I gave her a weary glance.

"If you had gotten in the carriage like I asked, I wouldn't have had to," I snipped back. She looked like she wanted to reply, but thought better of it, and instead just pouted. I looked at her.

"Jessie, I don't want you to hate me," I said. "I just want you to understand the lifestyle you deem so unsavory, because right now you don't. You don't even try to. All I ask is for you to consider it." She gave me a look of distaste.

"Why should I do that for the people who have ruined everything for me?" she asked cooly.

"Because they care about you," I answered forcefully, fighting to stay calm. If there was one thing that made me angry, it was people not giving other people a chance. I had learned that lesson the hard way. She gave me an incredulous look.

"And you honestly believe that?" she hissed. I nodded.

"Charlotte loves you, Jessamine, more than you know. You just can't see it through your hatred of all things Shadowhunter," I said. But from the look on her face, she remained unconvinced.

Suddenly, the carriage stopped. Jessamine looked confused. An emotion I shared in that moment. I opened the door and stuck my head out to call to the driver-a Shadowhunter appointed by the Clave who's name I was entirely unfamiliar with.

"What's wrong?" I said. He peered around the carriage down at me.

"There seems to be some sort of commotion in the street. I cannot pass," he replied. I groaned and moved to unlatch the door, but Jessamine's hand on mine kept me from doing so.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" she asked, her brown eyes wide. I arched an eyebrow.

"Seeing what's keeping us from our job," I answered shortly.

"Leave that for the driver. A young lady should never step out of a carriage to see what is keeping her. That is for her underlings to tell her," she said with dignity. I bristled at her explanation. I had always disliked my mother telling me to act like a lady. I detested the very word.

"Do you believe it within your abilities to keep me from doing so?" I replied with a thin veil of sarcasm. She let go of me abruptly, looking offended. I rolled my eyes.

"I'm sorry I'm not mundane enough for you, Jessamine," I muttered quietly. "In another time we might have been friends." I then proceeded to exit the carriage so I could assess the situation. The man who had been driving the carriage hopped from his post in order to offer me assistance.

There, in the middle of the road, two drunken men were attempting to brawl. I rolled my eyes, unimpressed, and looked at the driver.

"You mean to tell me you couldn't have bypassed this?" He looked affronted by the way I addressed him. Probably because I was a Downworlder, speaking to him as if he were the imbecile. Or possibly because I was a child. Either way, he didn't say anything. I stepped forward, pushing the crowd of people away from me. I liked this dress. I did not intend to have it ruined. I walked right up to the drunks and hit one of them lightly upside the head. He whirled around, anger and challenge written all over his features. Until he saw that I was a woman, and his gaze softened. I smiled a wide smile.

"Excuse me, sir, but I do believe that this altercation is blocking the street, and I am running late for a rather important event. Would you be so kind as to move it, perhaps, onto the sidewalk? I would be ever so pleased," I said sweetly. He grinned in response, his eyes struggling to focus on my features through the alcohol. He nodded, and then the other man punched him abruptly in the temple. My breath left my chest in an irritated _whoosh _as I looked to the heavens, as if they held the answer for my terrible luck. For all I knew, they probably did. Then I fixed the offender with a glare that would have caused the seas to light with flame. He took a step back, his drunken senses tasting danger.

"Now, was that really necessary?" I asked calmly, but his look of unease told me he heard the threat behind each word. "Move his body. Now," I ordered. With the help of several others, they dragged the unconsious man off the street, and I returned to the carriage. I was about to climb back in when the Shadowhunter stopped me with a hiss.

"Miss Grace, your eyes!" he said. I blinked at him, confused, before it sunk in. I looked in the window, which reflected me back like a mirror, and saw that my glamour had slipped and my eyes no longer looked simply green. I hurriedly slipped into the safety of the carriage, where Jessamine was staring pointedly out the window. I breathed heavily. Ever since the altercation with Gabriel, it seemed as if my magic was spiraling more and more out of control. The fact that I hadn't been able to hold a simple glamour through an irritating situation scared me. The carriage lurched forward, and before long we had arrived at our destination.

After telling Jessamine to stay in the carriage, I quietly left it behind, quickly finding the group of Shadowhunters I was supposed to report to. Much to my displeasure, Benedict Lightwood was the head of the group. He looked at me with barely concealed disgust.

"Where were you?" he snapped. I let the authoritarian tone in his voice roll off my back.

"There was a hold up in the street, and I had a bit of trouble getting my companion into the coach," I answered calmly. His eyes bore into mine, looking for the lie that wasn't there. All he found was a challenge to go against me. A challenge that-if he chose to take-he would lose.

"Take the coach around to the back. We're just waiting for the signal before-" Suddenly, the windows of the manor exploded, and everyone saw flames roar into the night air. Everyone was shouting and running for the manor, while I swore under my breath. I was later than I'd thought. I ran for the coach, yelling at the driver to drive me around the back. It was the only place I could think would work. I flung myself inside, slamming the door just as we shot forward. Jessamine yelped out in surprise, flinging an arm out to keep herself seated.

"Happy now?" I found myself muttering under my breath in anger. "If he gets away, it'll be on you, Jessie." She gave me a wide-eyed look.

"If you dislike me so much, why do you insist on using my nickname?" she asked. I looked at her with shock. That's the only thing she found offense to in that statement?

"For the same reason Charlotte does. For the same reason Jem does. Because I care about you." And then I leapt from the carriage.

I guess it was a tad overdramatic, but I wasn't really in the mood for having a touchy-feely conversation with Jessamine. Not when I was in charge of making sure de Quincey didn't get away. The carriage kept going, and I could see Jessamine's surprised white face through the window, watching me until it turned the corner. I dusted myself off, moving to the shadows of the bushes. If de Quincey were going to try and escape, he would use this exit. It was the only one that made sense.

As if response to my thoughts, the door flung open, revealing a tall, pale man clutching at his arm, where blood was flowing fast. Alexei de Quincey. I grinned to myself, feeling the frustration that had been building within me for the past several days reach a peak. I stood up fast, making him snap his head towards me, fangs bared.

"Trying to run?" I asked in a falsely sweet voice. "I'm afraid that won't be happening tonight." He hissed, looking like a feral cat.

"And do you think it within your power to keep me from doing so?" he replied, standing upright. I raised an eyebrow.

"Well, let me think," I said, raising a hand and making a fist. He went rigid, his legs locked together and his arms trapped by his sides. I raised my other hand and any noise of protest he might have tried died in his throat. But I wouldn't be able to hold this for long. Already I could feel my energy beginning to drain. I focused on my anger towards Benedict Lightwood, for being a disgusting excuse for a Shadowhunter. I focused on my frustration about losing control of my magic. I focused on my irritation that Jessamine couldn't simply _try. _I focused on the heartache that had been growing the longer I was here. It fueled my magic, giving me a huge surge of strength, that held until I heard shouts coming around the corner.

"Katsa? Katsa, is that you?" I heard Jem calling just before his head of fair hair rounded into sight. Just then my resolve snapped, causing me to collapse to the ground, spots dancing across my vision. I saw de Quincey fall to the ground as well, surprised at his sudden freedom. But before he could attempt to run, a hord of Shadowhunters descended upon him, trapping him to the ground. Black started creeping from the corners of my vision, and I tried blinking it away. I realized it was becoming very hard for me to breath, the ground spinning fast. And just before the world went dark, all I saw was silver.

"Katsa! Miss Katsa!" someone called. It sounded like they were very far away. And like my head was underwater. My eyelids felt glued shut, and my head felt like it was encased in cement. I heard a groan, and was surprised when I realized it came from me. Something soft and wet landed gently on my forehead, bringing me closer to consciousness. Another groan forced its way out of my throat, though I still didn't make the command for it to do so.

"Sophie, why don't you leave her with me? You've been watching her all night," another voice said softly, still sounding rather far away. The first voice conceded and I heard the sound of someone exiting the room. Someone took my hand.

"Katsa, I know you probably can't hear me, but it's Jessie." If I had been more awake I would have jumped in surprise. As it was, all I could do was twitch my hand and groan quietly.

"Maybe you can hear me," she continued softly. "Anyways, I just wanted to tell you how much what you said in the carriage affected me. I guess I never truly understood how the way I treat everybody here actually hurts them. Except for Will, of course. I don't believe he really cares if I'm nice to him or not." If I could have, I would have laughed in agreement. Then I remembered something. Shouldn't Jessamine be busy fawning over Nathan? That's how it was supposed to go. She was supposed to believe herself madly in love with him. So why was she with me on my sickbed?

"Nathaniel is very handsome. But Charlotte told us he isn't to be trusted. She said that based off of the information you gave her, he could very well cause the Institute to become compromised. Those are her words, not mine. She's locked him in the attic and put Thomas in charge of watching him. It's a shame, such a handsome face being so blind. These past couple of days I've been doing what you asked. I've been considering this life. I still can't see anything that would draw me to it, but I can see that it's a good life for those who are meant for it. I might even think about marrying a Shadowhunter, as long as I'm not expected to do the fighting. But I won't let myself be Marked. I still have my principles. I simply have too fine of a complexion to allow those ugly black Marks to ruin it." I felt the corners of my mouth twitch, and my wrist jerked. Jessamine's hand squeezed mine.

"Are you waking up? Come on Katsa, I know you want to. You're not the kind of girl who advocates lying in bed for days on end," she said. Well, that wasn't technically true. In my old life lying in bed for days sounded like my idea of paradise. But no, not anymore. Not when people like William Herondale and Magnus Bane were apart of my everyday life. In one quick motion, I wrenched my eyes open, groaning when the sunlight filtering through the window burned my retinas. I hissed and my hands shot up to block my eyes, my head snapping to the side. I heard tinkling laughter, and peeked past my own limbs to see Jessamine holding a hand in front of her mouth, hiding her smile as she giggled at me. But the smile was shining from her brown eyes. Somehow, it made her prettier. I sat up, finding someone had undone my hair from its usual braid when the long brown locks spilled down my torso, and smiled back.

"How long was I out?" I asked. Jessamine dropped her hand.

"About twenty four hours. It's just past ten," I jumped up quickly.

"Ten? At night?" Jessamine nodded, looking concerned.

"Are Tessa and Jem still here? In the Institute?" She shook her and I swore loudly.

"Katsa!" she exclaimed, looking scandalized, but I was ignoring her, instead throwing open the doors of my wardrobe and hastily pulling out a pair of black trousers and a white button up shirt. Then I tugged put a pair of simple black riding boots and a large black overcoat. Though, I might not be needing it.

"Jessie, you have to help me. Warn Will to hide the Pyxis. Even with Nathaniel detained, the Institute is in danger if Jem is out there tonight," I said, throwing off the dressing gown someone must have put on me and yanking on the trousers. I slid the shirt on easily and buttoned it quickly, tucking it into the pants and tucking those onto the boots. I turned to see a frozen Jessamine staring at me with wide, worried eyes.

"Jessie, now!" I said forcefully, startling her into action. She jumped from the chair and hurried to the door, and I followed.

"Tell Will I went to Blackfriars Bridge, and if I don't return in twenty minutes with Jem and Tessa, to send help. Otherwise he must _stay here, _otherwise we'll all be in danger." I said forcefully. She nodded and I ran to the stairs. I had to get to that bridge. There was too much at stake. I ran out to the stables, seeing one of the horses- I didn't know which- already saddled and bridled. I hadn't ridden a horse in years, and never at a full run, but this was a Shadowhunter horse. They were smarter, faster, and smoother than mundane horses. He would be able to keep me on his back. I mounted and dug my heels in, and we were off.

It was far more exhilarating than I would have thought. I realized I hadn't taken the time to pin my hair up, and it flew behind me like a sail, snapping in the wind. I looked at the bridle in my hands and saw the name Balios stamped into the leather. So that's who I was riding. I smiled and snapped the reins, urging him faster. We practically flew across the pavement, Balios' hooves clacking loudly against the cobblestone. Up ahead I saw my destination, Jem and Tessa both staring off at something that was moving slowly towards them. My heart flew to my throat and I urges Balios faster.

"Jem! Tessa! Run!" I called, making their attention snap to me. I was still far away, but they heard and Jem's Shadowhunter instincts made him grab Tessa's hand sprint towards me. I charged at them, yanking the reins harshly when we met halfway between. I slid off the horse and handed the reins to Jem.

"Go. Take Tessa and get to the Institute as fast as you can. I'll be right behind you," I said, breathlessly. Jem shook his head.

"No, take Tessa. I will-" I cut him off.

"No, you have to go. You haven't taken enough to fight them off or outrun them, and it's _you _that they want. Take Balios and go!" I ordered, not waiting for his response before throwing the reins at his chest. He caught them automatically and mounted, grabbing Tessa's hand and pulling her up behind him.

"Katsa, you can't use too much magic. You nearly died last night," he called down to me as I turned to face the army of automatons. I looked back at him.

"I'll be fine, Jem, just get back to the Institute!" I yelled, staring him down until he finally spurred Balios in that direction. I turned back to the mass of metal making its way towards me, and closed my eyes, feeling a thrum of energy flow through my veins. I held my hand in front of me, palms out, and pictured a wall between me and them. I felt rather than saw the force field grow and expand. It was simple magic, something I had mastered from the very start. It barely took any of my magical energy and I knew it would hold for hours.

When I deemed my work satisfactory, I turned and ran as fast as I could. By the time I reached the Institute, my breath felt like a jackknife everytime I inhaled. I found Jem and Will both waiting for me. I collapsed onto the steps, feeling like I was close to passing out. I put my head between my knees, sucking air into my lungs greedily. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and looked up to see Will staring with concern.

"Katsa, why didn't you come get me?" he asked quietly, kneeling beside me.

"I needed you to hide the Pyxis," I gasped out between pants.

"I could have helped. You could have been hurt," he said.

"But I didn't. I'm fine. Everything's good," I said, putting my head back between my knees when the world started spinning. I heard Will chuckle, and then the world fell away. I looked around wildly, seeing that Will had picked me from the ground. I blushed and kicked my legs.

"Will, put me down! I'm perfectly capable of walking on my own!" I said sternly, fixing him with a glare. He just smiled wider and shook his head. I squirmed and kicked some more, but he only tightened his hold. I fought until he dumped me rather unceromoniously onto my bed.

"Now, you are to remain here and rest until you're completely healed. You shouldn't have used any magic tonight," he said, sitting on the bed beside me. I frowned at him.

"Says who?" I challenged.

"Says me," a voice called from the doorway. I turned, and my breathing stopped. There, leaning against the doorframe, was the ever magnificent Magnus Bane.

/

Author's Note: Sorry about the wait! This was a monster to write. Anyways, I hope everyone likes the interactions between Jessie and Katsa (you know who you are) and don't get mad for the slight attitude change. R&R, love you all!


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